Page 32 of Release You

“We need to find Tessa.” She snuggled closer to me. “If she wrote that letter to Lisa, I’m sure it was because she knew something. She took us in, never treated us like maids. If she didn’t help Lisa, it had to be because someone stopped her. Your mom’s the key. I know it.”

Of course Nikki was right. We could stare at the wall in her room all night, but unless we recalled something new from that night, Mom was the only one who could help us.

“Okay. But where do we even start looking for her?” I grabbed my beer and downed the rest of it. “Another one?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She nodded then furrowed her brows. “A Different Point of View. That was your mom’s favorite restaurant in Phoenix. Why was your uncle there?”

I came back with two fresh bottles. “It’s a good place. Maybe he likes it too.”

“Maybe. Or maybe he took your mom there. He has taken care of her all this time. Maybe he truly cares about her. I mean, he’s still a complete asshole for what he did to you, but he’s had your mom for fifteen years.”

As much as I’d liked to demonize my uncle, Nikki was right. Mom’s garden was as beautiful as when I lived at the manor. She wasn’t in hospice. She was at home, surrounded by her flowers. She seemed content until I showed up. No, I couldn’t buy that.

“Now you’re telling me she’s happy to be there. That she doesn’t want me. Which one is it, Nikki?”

Nikki placed her hand on my chest. Her scent diffused the anger burning in my stomach.

“We just have to consider all angles. Right? Henry, thatasshole will pay for what he did to you. To us.” Her voice quavered, and she ducked her gaze.

Who knew what she’d had to go through on her own? A fifteen-year-old girl alone in New York. I cradled her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned against my hand for a moment before she removed it.

“Where your mom is concerned, he seems quite capable of finding a bit of decency. There’s an easy way to find out if he took your mom to that restaurant.”

“Is this more Nikki Swift stuff?” I teased. All this bullshit sucked, but at least I had Nikki to share it with.

“You bet. Let me make a phone call. And if necessary, you and I are going to check out the restaurant in the morning.” She flashed me a smile.

We had a new plan.

CHAPTER 11

A Thief, a Crook

Nikki

I squinted at the open balcony door. The rain had stopped, and a bright light blanketed the room. Reaching across the mattress, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. No response from Dom yet. Last night he’d promised to look into the longshot lead Henry and I had come up with to find Tessa.

Round and round we went. Meanwhile, Lisa was running out of time. Her parole hearing was scheduled for the end of the month. If we didn’t come up with something concrete to get her out, she’d stay in jail for another fifteen years. I couldn’t stand the thought of her in jail even for one more day, let alone years. She was innocent. She should be here with me, with her family.

Letting my head fall back on the pillow, I squeezed my eyes shut and cradled the phone to my chest. I should get up, but I couldn’t move. I felt tired, drained. Just needed to sleep some more. I lay on my side and cleared my mind. A few moments later, I drifted off to sleep.

I was in the dark, musty tunnel again. A beam of lightat the end flashed in my face, and I was blinded. When I opened my eyes, everything was black again.

A knock on the door woke me. I pressed my face against the pillow with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why couldn’t I remember what we’d seen that day?

Henry knocked again, pushed the door open, and poked his head in, eyes closed. “Are you decent?”

“I’m sleeping. Go away.” I pulled the covers over my head.

The bed shifted as warmth spread along my side. Henry removed the sheet with a quick yank. “Get up. I’m taking you to breakfast.”

I peeked at him, at his wet hair and puffy eyes. He was dressed in his usual jeans and T-shirt and smelled of shaving cream and spearmint. “Not hungry.” I took the covers back and turned on my side.

He let out a laugh. “I could help you work up an appetite.” He scooted closer and spooned me. My eyes snapped open. All kinds of bad ideas flooded my mind as his hand snaked around my waist and down to my hip.

Without meaning to, I wiggled closer to him, taking in his scent. It’d been so long since I had to sort out my feelings about someone. I honestly didn’t know where to start with Henry. I wanted him. That much I knew for sure. What would our lives look like together? What would happen if we gave in to this? We weren’t fifteen anymore. Love was for fools. I’d learned that the hard way a long time ago.

He kissed my neck while his full body pressed against me. Damn, he felt good. My tight nipples begged for his touch, for a bit of relief.

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